One of the most talked about aspects of Ironman or triathlon training is the mental side of the coin. They say you find your real character during an Ironman race or have a chance to visit all those places in your head that don't always have a chance to be seen in everyday life. You know who you are when you finish an Ironman. Or any triathlon for that matter.

In March of 2002, I completed my 4th Ironman Triathlon in New Zealand. I've never been so unhappy in my entire life. I didn't like where I was living back in the US, didn't like the person I'd become, didn't like training anymore and felt as if I was not allowed to have these emotions because I was trying to be a role model for the athletes and team I was coaching.

From MTB to Triathlon there is a fine Balance Between the Art and Science of Bike Setup

The thought of getting ready for a short triathlon can be a daunting prospect for the average athlete. Brendon Downey explains some of the key points to ensure that individuals can get ready to do their first triathlon.

Improve your running economy and race times. Interval Training at your VO2 Maximum Pace. Runners with a high VO2 maximum absorb more oxygen; they can race faster. Economic runners burn less oxygen at a given pace: they're frugal with oxygen use. They too can race faster.

A magazine recently asked me for 5 key pieces of triathlon training advice to be used in an article. Here was my response. As my book 10K & 5K Running, Training & Racing: The Running Pyramid contains five training phases, I'd be a bit silly (as we'd understate in England) to change course now.

Tara-Lee Marshall writes: The last two years have been very difficult for me on a physical and mental level. Going into the 2001 season I was totally pumped on having a very profitable year. In 2000 I had won two ironman and had reached a level that honestly I had never thought I would achieve when I first started the sport.

Andrea Fisher writes: A lot of people place themselves at the start of a triathlon in relationship to how fast they swim. The fastest swimmers always line up at the front, and the slower swimmers at the back. However there is a way to pick up some free speed during the swim, and it's all dependent on where you line up.

Jamie Cleveland writes: People spend hours in the pool and log thousands of miles on the road trying to get faster but often overlook the easiest way to take time off - transitions. Shaving a minute off your T1 time in an Olympic distance race, is the equivalent of going from 1:35/100m to 1:30/100m without any extra effort! Why wouldn't you want to take advantage of that?

Heather Fuhr writes: As we all know, there is a significant difference between running and running after you bike. For this reason, it is very important to integrate transition runs into your regular training schedule.